Compromise of 1850 Analysis

Matthew Pinsker discusses the Compromise of 1850, a series of legislative measures aimed at resolving sectional tensions in the United States following the Mexican War and the California Gold Rush. Henry Clay proposed a package of compromises, which were fiercely debated in the Senate. Stephen Douglas played a key role in passing the measures by treating them as separate bills. The five bills included admitting California as a free state, organizing the Southwest Territories without addressing slavery, adjusting the Texas-New Mexico border, eliminating the slave trade in D.C., and enacting a stricter fugitive slave law. Although initially seen as a resolution, the compromise quickly unraveled, highlighting its instability.

What major event in 1849 increased the pressure to admit a new state in the West?

• The Industrial Revolution

• The Gold Rush

• The Civil War

• The Louisiana Purchase

Who was the senator known for proposing a compromise to address sectional tensions in 1850?

• Stephen Douglas

• John C. Calhoun

• Henry Clay

• Daniel Webster

What was Stephen Douglas's approach to passing the Compromise of 1850?

• Combining all proposals into one bill

• Breaking the proposals into separate bills

• Focusing only on the admission of California

• Ignoring the issue of slavery

Which state was admitted as a free state under the Compromise of 1850?

• California

• New Mexico

• Texas

• Utah

What did the Compromise of 1850 do regarding the slave trade in the District of Columbia?

• It expanded the slave trade

• It legalized the slave trade

• It had no effect on the slave trade

• It eliminated the slave trade

Which component of the Compromise of 1850 was most important to Southerners?

• Adjustment of the Texas-New Mexico border

• Organization of the Southwest Territories

• A tougher federal fugitive slave law

• Admission of California as a free state

How did most historians view the Compromise of 1850?

• As a temporary and shaky compromise

• As a successful compromise

• As irrelevant to sectional tensions

• As a permanent solution

What happened to the Compromise of 1850 shortly after it was enacted?

• It quickly fell apart

• It resolved all sectional issues

• It was immediately successful

• It was never implemented